The Benedictine Habit

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The Benedictine Habit

Abbot Matthew Stark
- Abbot Matthew Stark offers us a prayerful listing of the elements of the Benedictine habit. Following him through this elaboration on the meaning of each element indeed opens a path of exploration of Benedictine life itself, its character, its foundations, its ends. We see that these foundations themselves are founded in Scripture, and that in the teaching of Christ. We see a sacramental quality in the habit, as an outward sign of an inward transformation. We see that as each moment of the day to be sanctified by constant prayer, as each tool of the monastery is to be treated as having a sacred purpose, so too is each element of clothing that one wears of a deeper importance. As we witness Br. Benedict making his solemn vows, this articulation of all that lies behind the choice of garments leads us to again think of the breadth and the depth of this promise.
Tunic
- Clothe me, Lord, with the new man created after God in justice and in holiness.
  
  A way to understand the habit is through the prayers to be said when putting it on.
  
  At baptism, we put off the old Adam and put on the new Man. Christ is the new Adam. Saint Paul says those who have been baptized have put on Christ (Gal 3:27). He also says that Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Cor 1:24) Christ is our wisdom, our righteousness, and your sanctification and redemption (1 Cor 1:30). When we clothe ourselves in the tunic, we are asking to be clothed with Christ's holiness, righteousness, and wisdom.
Belt
- Gird me, Lord, with the belt of salvation quenching lustful desires and making me strong in chastity and self-restraint.
  
  Jesus condemns indecency (Mt 7:22), and St. Paul says: "Let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day not in reveling and drunkenness not in debauchery and in impurity, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and wake no provisions for the flesh" (Romans 13: 13-14). Our Lord tells us “to have our loins girt.” That is to be ready to look and be alert for his coming. It means to be awake and watchful.
Scapular
- O Lord, who said my yoke is easy and my burden is light, enable me so that I may have your friendship.
  
  Jesus calls us to take on his yoke, which is easy and a light burden (Mt 11:29). The Scapular reminds us that we have taken up that burden and if it is a prayer that we may carry it in a way pleasing to him.
Hood
- Place on my head, Lord, the helmet of salvation that I may withstand the assaults of the devil.
  
  Saint Paul says in Ephesians 6: “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may stand against the wiles of the devil... Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet ... And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
- The Apostle made clear in the Chapter that we are engaged in a spiritual warfare. The Habit is a reminder of this fact. The prayers above are based on the prayers a priest says as he is vested for Mass. This means the monks, ordained and unordained, have a priestly function, especially at Mass and at the Office, to offer a sacrifice of praise to our God. This point is also made at the clothing of a novice. When he receives the Habit, the hymn “Come Holy Ghost” is sung. His vocation is a “pneumatic” vocation in which he offers God praise in the Holy Spirit, who intercedes for us with sighs to a deep for words.
Cowl
- Clothe me, Lord, with the Spirit of our Holy Father Benedict and take from me all light-mindedness and vainglory, through Christ our Lord.
  
  This is a prayer for humility, in a sense, to avoid exaltation of self, and it helps to enable the monk to work and pray for the glory of God and not for himself. St. Paul says, “Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves.” Our work, prayer, and public reading should be done with gravity and restraint through Christ, our Lord.